Spontaneous or Stimulated? Investigating Raman's Detection Limits in Aqueous Environments.

Raman spectroscopy is a powerful method for analyzing chemical compositions across diverse samples. Spontaneous Raman scattering (spRS) provides complete Raman spectra but typically yields low signal levels, requiring long signal integration times. In contrast, stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) produces much stronger signals, allowing for rapid spectral acquisition, and has been widely used to accelerate chemical imaging.

Real-Time and Site-Specific Perturbation of Dynamic Subcellular Compartments Using Femtosecond Pulses.

Understanding laser interactions with subcellular compartments is crucial for advancing optical microscopy, phototherapy, and optogenetics. While continuous-wave lasers rely on linear absorption, femtosecond (fs) lasers enable nonlinear multiphoton absorption confined to the laser focus, offering high axial precision. However, current fs laser delivery methods lack the ability to target dynamic molecular entities and automate target selection, making them incapable of performing real-time perturbation of mobile or complexly distributed biomolecules.

Label-Free Quantification of Apoptosis and Necrosis Using Stimulated Raman Scattering Microscopy.

Recombinant proteins are critical for modern therapeutics and diagnostics, with Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells serving as the primary production platform. However, environmental and chemical stressors in bioreactors often trigger cell death, particularly apoptosis, posing a significant challenge to recombinant protein manufacturing. Rapid, label-free methods to monitor cell death are essential for ensuring better production quality.

Advances and future trends in real-time precision optical control of chemical processes in live cells.

Traditional chemical interventions regulate cellular processes but often affect non-target biomolecules. Precise and site-specific control is crucial for studying complex systems. Conventional laser-based methods offer high spatial precision and speed but rely on prior sample knowledge and do not apply to highly mobile targets.

Quantification of cellular phototoxicity of organelle stains by the dynamics of microtubule polymerization.

Being able to quantify the phototoxicity of dyes and drugs in live cells allows biologists to better understand cell responses to exogenous stimuli during imaging. This capability further helps to design fluorescent labels with lower phototoxicity and drugs with better efficacy. Conventional ways to evaluate cellular phototoxicity rely on late-stage measurements of individual or different populations of cells.

Label-Free Quantification of Apoptosis and Necrosis Using Stimulated Raman Scattering Microscopy.

Recombinant proteins are critical for modern therapeutics and diagnostics, with Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells serving as the primary production platform. However, environmental and chemical stressors in bioreactors often trigger cell death, particularly apoptosis, posing a significant challenge to recombinant protein manufacturing. Rapid, label-free methods to monitor cell death are essential for ensuring better production quality.

Real-Time and Site-Specific Perturbation of Dynamic Subcellular Compartments Using Femtosecond Pulses.

Understanding laser interactions with subcellular compartments is crucial for advancing optical microscopy, phototherapy, and optogenetics. While continuous-wave (CW) lasers rely on linear absorption, femtosecond (fs) lasers enable nonlinear multiphoton absorption confined to the laser focus, offering high axial precision. However, current fs laser delivery methods lack the ability to target dynamic molecular entities and automate target selection, limiting real-time perturbation of biomolecules with mobility or complex distribution.

Unleashing Precision and Freedom in Optical Manipulation: Software-Assisted Real-Time Precision Opto-Control of Intracellular Molecular Activities and Cell Functions.

The traditional method in biological science to regulate cell functions often employs chemical interventions, which commonly lack precision in space and time. While optical manipulation offers superior spatial precision, existing technologies are constrained by limitations in flexibility, accuracy, and response time. Here, we present an adaptable and interactive optical manipulation platform that integrates laser scanning, chemical sensing, synchronized multi-laser control, adaptable target selection, flexible decision-making, and real-time monitoring of sample responses.

Quantification of cellular phototoxicity of organelle stains by the dynamics of microtubule polymerization.

Unlabelled: Being able to quantify the phototoxicity of dyes and drugs in live cells allows biologists to better understand cell responses to exogenous stimuli during imaging. This capability further helps to design fluorescent labels with lower phototoxicity and drugs with better efficacy. Conventional ways to evaluate cellular phototoxicity rely on late-stage measurements of individual or different populations of cells.

Spatiotemporally Precise Optical Manipulation of Intracellular Molecular Activities.

Controlling chemical processes in live cells is a challenging task. The spatial heterogeneity of biochemical reactions in cells is often overlooked by conventional means of incubating cells with desired chemicals. A comprehensive understanding of spatially diverse biochemical processes requires precise control over molecular activities at the subcellular level.

Chemical-imaging-guided optical manipulation of biomolecules.

Chemical imaging via advanced optical microscopy technologies has revealed remarkable details of biomolecules in living specimens. However, the ways to control chemical processes in biological samples remain preliminary. The lack of appropriate methods to spatially regulate chemical reactions in live cells in real-time prevents investigation of site-specific molecular behaviors and biological functions.